Syria would let Arab observers stay but no wider mandate

Syria would not object to extending an Arab League mission to monitor its compliance with a peace plan, but will not accept an expansion in the scope of its mandate, an Arab source said on Tuesday.    

An Arab League observer team in Syria since late December is expected to report this week that Damascus has failed to fully implement a peace deal plan aimed at ending 10 months of violence.    

The mission's mandate expires on Thursday, and Arab League foreign ministers are set to discuss its future when they meet on Jan. 22.    

"The outcome of the contacts that have taken place over the past week between the Arab League and Syria have affirmed that Syria will not reject the renewal of the Arab monitoring mission for another month... if the Arab foreign ministers call for this at the coming meeting," the source said.    

Some Arab countries say the monitors need a broader mandate to help stop violence, if the mission is to be continued. Qatar has even suggested sending Arab troops.    

The source said Syria would agree to allow the number of monitors - now fewer than 200 - to be increased, but would not allow them to be given formal fact-finding duties or to be allowed into "military zones" that are not yet agreed.

Reuters